Frustration
by Flower of Egypt
Summary: Previously titled 'i cant think of a title give me suggestions' (or something along those lines) in this next chapter, an accident happens when four professors attemp an Ancient Egyptian Potion, and Draco softens up to the new girl Hali. Please R/R, as i
1. The Dragon Amulet

Draco Malfoy, at age 15, was very small, and very obnoxious. He didn't take orders from anyone (except his equally obnoxious father) and wasn't friendly with anyone, lest they find out any of his weakness'. His father had put fear in his heart, when he had been younger, telling him that if anyone found out about any of his weaknesses, they would be able to defeat him. And of course, as arrogant as he was, he just could not let that happen.  
  
So the pale, silver haired boy had no true friends, unless you considered his two 'body guards' Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, both of whom were incredibly loyal to Draco, but only because their father's ordered them too. Draco was sometimes upset that he didn't have a true friend, but at the moment, he wasn't worrying over that.  
  
His father wanted him to be able to have the best marks of anyone in Slytherin, beat Gryffindor at Quidditch, do daily reports for him on everything at Hogwarts, AND practice his Dark Arts lessons, all at once. Which, of course, is totally impossible, unless they could get their hands on a time turner, but Lucius Malfoy didn't think that would happen, and he didn't want the chance of anyone missing one. So he ordered Draco to find a way either make his own, or find another solution.   
  
And that is exactly what Draco did. He searched all the ancient books he found in his father's library, and found a way to turn time back, illegally of course. So, with this method, all he had to do was turn back time at night, so he could do his homework, and if he needed it, to do Quidditch practices.   
  
He was also making a Pensive. This, of course his father would not approve of, and he could imagine what he would say, 'Something like this could be used as evidence sometime in the future, how could you be so stupid boy. You have memories which no one but you and those involved need know about.'  
  
But that wasn't going to stop Draco. He needed something to relieve the pressure from his brain. As it is, his head was already filled to the brim with stuff he would rather not remember, and this was the only solution he could think of.   
  
So, at the moment, Draco was sitting on the floor of his very large bedroom, buried in a book about Pensive's. The time turning device, which he had almost finished, was sitting in his cauldron by the fireplace. (It needed to be 'purified' before it could be used.)  
  
Abruptly, Draco slammed the book shut, causing his Eagle owl, Isis, to awake. She ruffled her feathers, and glared at him. But he didn't notice, as he was too busy staring disgustedly into another cauldron near his outstretched legs, which held a solid/liquid substance. The book said that this 'memory holding' mixture, should be a silvery-blue color. His was a girly looking pink.  
  
Draco was very pissed off about this. He sighed, and stood up, stretching his legs. He had been sitting on the floor for the past hour, trying to see what it was he was doing wrong. He couldn't figure it out. He had followed the instructions exactly, first adding lacewing into a boiling cauldron full of water, and then three spider legs, pulled off a black widow. Then, he had let it sit from midnight until 2:00 a.m. on a full moon, stirring occasionally. He had then added extract of werewolf, and the hair of a black cat.  
  
Draco closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose, trying to get rid of the oncoming headache. Upon opening his eyes, he saw a single cat hair, sticking to the side of the cauldron. He groaned. The cat hair hadn't fallen all the way into the potion. He carefully picked it up, and after giving it a dirty look, tossed it in the cauldron. With a flash of blinding green light, the potion turned silvery blue.  
  
Grinning exhaustedly, Draco walked over to a cupboard, from in which he extracted an ancient stone basin. He walked back over to the potion, and, setting the basin on the floor, dumped the now silvery colored liquid into it. Before Draco could try out his Pensive, he heard the opening of the door that separated the hallway from the outer room of his quarters.  
  
Heart racing, Draco jumped up, and grabbed the basin. He raced over to a stone gargoyle, and, tapping it with his wand (which was in his mouth) he mumbled "Caducei," and the gargoyle jumped aside, to reveal a hollowed out shelf. He slid his Pensive onto it, alongside a couple of PlayWizard Magazines (the Wizard version of Playboy) and managed to close the gargoyle, just as his father opened the door to the bedroom.  
  
  
"Draco!" he barked, glaring at his son suspiciously. "School starts in exactly 5 days, and I suppose you haven't yet done what I assigned you at the start of summer holidays." He said, referring to the time turning device Draco had made.  
  
"Actually sir, I have it their." He said, pointing to the other cauldron. Lucius looked at him, disbelief etched all over his face. "It will be done tomorrow sir, I assure you."  
  
Lucius looked at him oddly. "Yes, well, I won't believe it until I see it." Draco inwardly sighed. His father had no faith in him whatsoever. "We will be going to Diagon Alley tomorrow. Did you get your letter?" Draco nodded. "Good. And did you do as I said and get out of Care of Magical Creatures?" Draco nodded again. "What class did you choose in replacement?"  
  
  
"Arithmancy, sir." Lucius nodded approvingly.  
  
"Good. Now go to bed. One of the house elves will awaken you at dawn. Good night then." He walked out of the room.  
  
"Good night, father." Draco whispered, wishing that, for once, his father would show some affection to him. Dejectedly, her got up, and walked over to his wardrobe. He opened the doors, and pulled a pair of dark green silk pajamas from the top drawer.  
  
He turned off all the candles with a wave of his wand, and then climbed into his giant bed. He lay their, thinking about what life would be like if his father actually loved him, and his mother actually spoke to him. Fantasizing about how he would spend nights around the fireplace with his family, telling them about his problems, maybe just sitting around, laughing, remembering all the good times they had had. HE finally drifted off to sleep, his fantasies becoming life-like in his dreams.  
  
  
  
He was prodded awake the next morning, by a particularly ugly house elf. He had awoken him from a dream in which he was riding a dragon, a girl behind him. They had been talking, and Draco had been about to tell the mysterious girl he loved her, but, just as he was turning around to see her face, he woke up.  
  
Now this made Draco really angry. And he took his anger out on the house elf, who felt that he had displeased his Master's son, and abruptly began banging his head on the wall. Draco got out of bed, feeling a little better. He ignored the elf (who was still banging his head on the wall) and went to the bathroom, to take a shower.  
  
Twenty minutes later, he was clean, and dressed in a pair of leather pants and a dark green silk shirt (A/N doesn't that just give all you Draco lovers a wonderful picture in your mind to drool over?). HE smiled wickedly at the house elf (who was by now very bruised, after a half an hour of banging his head on the wall) and told him to go into the kitchens, and have his breakfast (2 Chocolate Chip pancakes and a scrambled egg) on the table by the time he got down there.  
  
Of course, Draco knew he would never make it on time, because he was already walking out the door, and the house elf had much shorter legs. He beat the house elf down stairs, and it shut its overlarge nose in the oven as punishment, while at the same time attempting to bring Draco his food.   
  
To Draco's great amusement, this caused the elf to dump Draco's breakfast all over himself, at the exact instant Lucius (similarly attired to Draco) walked into he kitchen. The house elf saw its master, and started to cry. Lucius gave it a very nasty look, and gave it a punishment of de-gnoming the garden. This wouldn't have been all that bad, except for the fact that this certain house elf was deathly afraid of gnomes.  
  
AS another servant (this one a banshee) took Lucius' breakfast order, and re-cooked Draco's, Father and son talked. "Did you hear about Dumbledore and the Ministry?" Lucius asked. "Fudge, the stupid old fool, refuses to listen to Dumbledore about our master coming back, which is fine by me, but still, who can be so daft, they were bound to realize he would come back." At this, 'our master' part of his father's speech, Draco inwardly shuddered. 'Our master, he isn't my master, I don't want him to be my master,' he told himself, defiantly. Of course, he would never tell Lucius that.  
  
By the time both of them had finished their breakfast, it was eight o'clock, and Lucius declared it time to leave, saying he had to make a quick stop at Knockturn Alley. Draco, Who didn't want to go there, pleaded Lucius to let him go to Diagon instead. "Father, can't I just go on ahead to Diagon Alley," he said, reasonably. "If someone were to see just one silver haired person there, they might not think anything about it, but two silver haired people coming form there, would be a dead giveaway to anyone."  
  
Lucius agreed to this, saying that it would be better anyways, because he did not want Draco to know what he was doing ("you might slip and tell someone") but Draco knew that it was because Lucius did not want to be seen in Knockturn Alley with his son, because certain people might accuse him of teaching his son Dark Arts (which he was, but no one of any importance, besides Voldemort, knew that).  
  
So, using a bit of Floo Powder, Lucius was gone, off somewhere in Knockturn Alley. And a minute later, Draco appeared in front of Forlean Fortesue's Ice-cream Parlour. And much to his annoyance, he was now face to face with Harry Potter, who was standing in front of the fireplace, apparently waiting for someone.  
  
"What are you going here Malfoy?" he asked him, icily.  
  
Draco looked at him. "Hmm, I wonder, what would I be doing here in a public fireplace, I don't know." He said, quit sarcastically.  
  
Harry blushed a bit. "Move over Malfoy, I am waiting for someone, and unless you want her on top of you, you should move." Draco obliged, mainly because he didn't want some girlfriend of Harry's on top of him.  
  
A second later, another person was falling out of the fireplace. Draco had expected it to be Hermione, but didn't think it was, because, while this person had brown hair, it wasn't bushy and short. This girl's hair was sleek and long. She looked up, and with a start Draco realized it was Hermione. He couldn't believe it. And apparently, neither could Harry.  
  
"Hermie? Is that you?" he asked, mouth hanging open.  
  
"No Potter, it's Pansy Parkinson wearing a tutu. Now close your mouth, or your going to be in danger of catching a few owls." This comment from Draco brought Harry back to reality.  
  
"I don't remind you being invited into the conversation. Now shove off Malfoy." Harry snapped.  
  
Before Draco could retort, Hermione cut in. "Are you two finished?" Both looked at Hermione again, and Draco was painfully aware of how pretty she was. He noticed her teeth were not beaver like anymore. Without even realizing it, he voiced his opinion out loud. Hermione laughed. "Yes, well as you obviously failed to notice, I got them shrunk last year when that spell of yours hit me, instead of Harry. By the way, I must thank you for that," she said, and he could feel himself color slightly. "Now if you'll excuse me, I came here to see Harry." She said, pushing past him.  
  
As they walked away, Draco could hear Harry complain to Hermione. "I can't believe you were being civil to him, after all he has done to you..." Draco grinned. It always made his day to annoy Harry. Satisfied that no one had seen him fawning over the mudblood, he hurried over to the Apothecary to replenish his supply of potion ingredients.  
  
  
By the time his father joined him, Draco had gotten all of his books, new school robes(his others were a couple inches too short) a new set of dress robes (black, of course) and was looking inside Quality Quidditch Supplies, at a new broom, the SilverDragon. His father walked in behind him, and whispered into his ear. "I've gotten you something Draco, but I can't show it to you until we are at home, safe from prying eyes." Draco nodded at him.  
  
"Father, look at this broom." He said waving his hand at it. "It is magnificent, even better than the Firebolt. It has all the same things as the Firebolt, but improved." Draco watched as his father examined the SilverDragon, a look of approval on his face.  
  
"How much Jarth?" he asked the owner. He looked at Lucius, and then at Draco.  
  
"It costs 700 galleons, but" he said, in a whisper, "I'll give it to you for 500." Lucius smiled.   
  
"Done." Draco grinned as his father opened his moneybag, and handed Jarth a slip of paper, (kind of like a check) that gave him permission to remove the amount from his vault.   
  
"Thank you father." Draco said, smiling at him.   
  
"Only the best for you Draco. You better beat Gryffindor at Quidditch this year." Lucius glared at him, ruining the moment. Draco's spirits soared once again, however, as Hermione, Ron, and Harry walked into the store, just as the Jarth handed him the broom. Harry and Ron both scowled darkly as he walked out the door, SilverDragon in hand.  
  
"Back to the Manor now, father?"  
  
"Yes Draco, have you gotten everything you needed for school?" he nodded, and Lucius continued. "I want to look at your new books. Particularly the Defense Against the Dark Arts one." Draco nodded once more, and they stayed silent until they reached the public fireplaces. "You first, be careful with that broom."  
  
Draco threw some powder into the fire, and he stepped in, calling out "Malfoy Manor," and he disappeared, reappearing seconds later in the Manor's Parlour. His father came through a second later, pulling something out of his pocket as he walked out of the huge fireplace. Draco looked at him, interested. Lucius pulled a dragon amulet, which was hanging on a fine, silver chain.  
  
  
"This Draco, is a very powerful magical object, but only on you." Draco looked at him, curiously. "Because of your name, must I explain everything?" he asked, exasperated. Draco shook his head, indicating he didn't have to. "Well, it has two 'powers.' One of them is this: Whenever you are wearing this, it will enable you to tell if someone is lying to you. The other, is in this," he said, tapping a small crystal in the dragon's claws, "It will double your curse and hex power." He looked at Draco, expecting a comment.  
  
"But why do I need this father?" Lucius looked exasperated once again.   
  
"You will learn, in time Draco, in time. Now, I must go. Leave your new school books in my library, so can look through them when I return." He turned to leave. "What about that thing of yours you were making, for next year? Is it done?" Draco nodded. "Good, I will want to see it when I return. Now go away, try out your broom or something." And with that, he Disapparated.  
  
  
Draco glared a the spot where his father had been standing seconds before, and stood their until his mother walked into the room. "Oh, hello." She said, coldly. "I thought I had heard your father come home, but its only you."   
  
"Oh, I love you too mother," he sneered, before turning on his heel and stomping out the room. He didn't look back once, but if he had, he would have seen his mother looking very annoyed.   
  
Draco walked into his room, and slammed the doors behind him. He stomped over to his desk, and threw himself into his chair. A moment later, Draco heard the soft, wispy voice of his mirror. "Now, now darling. Sulking is not a good way to show your hurt. Tell me what's wrong honey."   
  
Draco turned around, glaring at the mirror. "I'll tell you what's wrong, you. You are so nosy. Just go bother someone else, stupid mirror." His mirror gave a soft sort of cry, and for an instant Draco felt bad, but when she didn't reply, he forgot all about her.  
  
He sat in his chair, lost in thought, for about an hour, before he remembered that his father wanted his new school books in the library when he got home. So Draco opened his bag, and pulled them out. He stacked them and carried them downstairs to the library, where he sat himself in his favorite chair near the fire, and got lost in his new Arithmancy book.  
  
  
About three hours later, Lucius walked into his library, to find Draco in the same position he had been in hours before, about halfway through the Arithmancy book. "Good, I always like to see you learning the material before hand," he proclaimed, startling Draco.  
  
"Ah, yes sir, I have been here for a while, I guess I forgot the time." He said, hoping to not get in trouble.  
  
"Absorbed in the book? That interesting eh?" Draco nodded. "Very good, go away now, and leave me to look over your books." Draco got up, and marked his page.  
  
"Do you want me to leave this as well?"   
  
"Yes, I want to look through it, see what you will be learning this year." With that, Draco new he wasn't allowed anymore. SO, he went upstairs to his own library, near his room. While it was much smaller, it was filled with books that Draco would be more likely to read. He grabbed a muggle fantasy book (Dungeons and Dragons, written, Draco noted, by someone with the wrong idea of wizards) and sat down on the window seat, and read.  
  
  
About an hour later, Draco was called by Narcissa to come downstairs to have dinner. He was surprised that he wouldn't be eating in his room (he usually did, unless their was important company) so he went down, apprehensive.  
  
He entered the dining room, facing the backs of three people. One was his mother; the other was his father, and the other... Draco had no clue who this third person might be. Whoever it was, was very tall, and was wearing a swirling black cloak. Draco stared, curious, and then realized his hair was most likely sticking up at odd angles, and so he used his fingers to brush it down.  
  
Lucius turned, and noticed Draco standing at the door. HE turner to the mysterious person in the Black Cloak, and muttered something. The man turned around. Draco shuddered. The man, while defiantly not Voldemort, was very creepy, like Voldemort. He had pale veiny skin, and orange, glowing eyes. "Ah, Lucius, this must be your son," he said, as a chilling smile crept onto his face.  
  
"Draco, this is the Right Hand Man, I am afraid I cannot tell you his true name, for certain reasons." Narcissa turned around.  
  
"Now that everyone is here, how about we dine?" Lucius and Creepy both nodded, and took a seat. Draco hesitated an instant, but Lucius sent him a very nasty look, which Draco read to mean, 'Don't screw up this one, this guy is important.' And so, not wanting to get in trouble with Lucius, he sat.  
  
Dinner was an uncomfortable ordeal for Draco, because Creepy kept looking at him, and he felt as though he were being watched for flaws, or something along those lines.  
  
After dinner, Lucius lead Creepy and Draco into his study. After taking a seat, Lucius pulled out the amulet he had shown Draco earlier, from his pocket. "Our guest wanted to be here when I gave this to you Draco, he wanted to make sure it was the real thing, and not just some silly toy."  
  
Lucius beckoned Draco to come to him, and he placed the amulet around his neck. Draco's senses blocked out, for a couple seconds, and when they returned he could smell smells that he had never noticed before, he could see little specks of dust he didn't know existed, and he felt as though the air around him was cracking with electricity.   
  
Of course, it was cracking, but not with electricity, but with power. Draco was shocked, and it appeared that Creepy and Lucius were as well. Whatever they had been expecting, it certainly wasn't that.  
  
"This, is amazing, to say the least.." Creepy said in an awed voice. "Do a spell boy, any one..." Draco nodded, and he lifted his wand, performing the only spell he could think off.   
  
"Lumos," he whispered. Instead of a single light from the end of his wand, a ball of light raised from it, emitting a brilliant white light. Both Creepy and Lucius covered their eyes. Draco said "Nox." And it went away. They stared at him once more, lost for words.  
  
"Take it off, Draco." Lucius said, eventually. Draco took it off, and handed it to him. He put around his neck, and said "Lumos," nothing happened. He tried "Wingardium Leviosa," nothing. "Avada Kadavra," Nothing. He took it off, and handed it to his son. Creepy looked at him, his orange eyes piercing into Draco.  
  
"Don't wear it all the time, until you have it controlled." He said to Draco. He turned to Lucius. "I need to report this to our Master. Make sure he controls it before he goes back to Hogwarts." Lucius nodded, and Creepy Disapparated.  
  
Lucius looked at Draco oddly. "Go upstairs, and go to sleep. When you wake, we will go to the Quidditch Field, and you will learn to control that thing before you go back to Hogwarts." And with that, he turned his back on Draco.  
  
  
Disclaimer - I own nothing J.K. owns (though I would love to own Draco) But I do own the plot.   
  
  
A/N So people, how do you like it?? I tried my best to make it longer than my previous stories chapters have been... Anyways, please Review, and know that flames shall be used for marshmallows (I like mine black) and to light a fire in my fireplace. In other words, flame me for all I care, I need to know what you think about this!!!!! I love reviews... IGNORE THE FIRST REVIEW!! IT WAS MEANT FOR A DIFFERENT STORY, AND I HAVE NO CLUE WHY IT WAS PUT ON MY OWN STORY!!! IF I GET ANY REVIEWS ASKING 'WHY DID YOU REVIEW YOUR OWN STORY?' THEN I WIL KNOW YOU OBVIOUSLY DID NOT READ THIS!  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. The Begginning of a Mess

The few days left before Draco returned to Hogwarts, were excruciating for him. He spent almost 15 hours a day with his father, working on controlling the Amulet. And five more were spent learning the Dark Arts. Draco fell in to bed each night around two a.m. and woke up around five a.m. This left him looking like a zombie, and it didn't help any that his father and mother both kept giving him smart-ass remarks about how he was weak enough to show tiredness. Of course, Narcissa and Lucius also weren't getting only three hours of sleep a night either.  
  
  
By the time Lucius was packing Draco's trunks (A/N yes, he has more that one, he has one trunk especially for hair care products, another given over to his clothes, and the last for school supplies... vain boy, isn't he?) into his Mercedes, Draco was a horrible mess. He was weak from lack of sleep or food, and he was paler than usual. Of course, Lucius didn't say anything about it, because, either he didn't care, or he thought it was disappointing.  
  
To make matters worse, the whole way to King's Cross, Lucius kept going on and on and on (get the idea) about how Draco was a disappointment. You would think that our cold-hearted little Malfoy wouldn't have any feelings, and could care less about his father's comments. But care he did. Draco had to bite his lower lip and keep his eyes closed the entire drive, for he didn't want complain, or look sad in front of his father.  
  
By the time Draco was settled in a compartment on the train, Draco was ready to cry. The strain on him was so great. The only 'good' thing that had come out of this ordeal was that Draco could now control the Amulet. But he would have given anything to have another father, even a Weasley, as long as they weren't Lucius.  
  
He stared out the window of the compartment, watching the other students walk through the barrier that separated the muggle world from Platform 9 3/4 (he was usually the first on the train, as his father wanted to observe the other students parents). He glared through the window at Harry, who was laughing with Hermione and Ron all of them were looking completely stress free. He pulled out a piece of parchment, which had his neat handwriting all over it.  
  
That was another thing to add to his list of reason's why he disliked Harry:  
  
1,004 - He never shows stress  
  
And after some thought, added:  
  
1,005 - He has real friends  
  
He stuffed the parchment back into his trunk, just as Crabbe and Goyle walked in. Goyle looked at him, curiously. "You don't look so good, Draco. Are you feeling okay?" He would have liked to say that he felt awful, and that he felt like he had been given the Cruciartus Curse ten times, but he knew that they would both report it to their parents, and then their parents would tell his father, and then all hell would break loose. So, he lied.  
  
"I'm fine Goyle, what took you guys so long to get in here?" Goyle looked at Crabbe.   
  
"Er.. we were kind of held up by a new student." Crabbe said, sheepishly. "And food."  
  
"Yes, I noticed." He sneered, pointing to the food that decided to make itself at home on Goyle's robes. Goyle looked as if he would reply, but just then, the compartment door opened. Draco looked at the girl standing there, and sneered. She was very pretty, with wavy chestnut hair, and gold speckled brown eyes. But, she looked like a Gryffindor.   
  
"Hello," she said, smiling, despite Draco's sneer. "Do you mind if I sit in here? The other compartments are full." She said, with a look at Draco.  
  
"Yes, you can, but don't expect much from us, we don't know you, after all," he said, coldly. He watched her for her reaction. To his great surprise, she glared at him. Her brown eyes turned a color that could only be descried as the color of a rainy day. Draco felt as though she were piercing into his soul, he wanted to turn away, but he decided to counter her glare, with one of his own.   
  
She watched him, amused, as his eyes did similar to hers. His silvery eyes turned a dark gray, and he glared. She was surprised that he hadn't turned away, so she smiled. This apparently, confused him, but he gave a sort of half smile. Goyle coughed. Both Draco and the new girl looked over at them.  
  
"Are you two done yet?" he asked, annoyed. Draco grinned a bit.   
  
"Yes," he turned to the girl. "You are okay, never met anyone with a glare worse than mine. Who are you?" This came out sounding rude, but for Draco, it was his best effort at being nice to someone.  
  
"My name is Hali Steyn, I am in fifth year."   
  
"Why haven't we ever seen you before then?" Crabbe asked. Draco shook his head.  
  
"That is a stupid question, obviously she is a transfer student."   
  
Hali nodded. "Yes, I transferred here from Egypt. My father worked for the ministry their, Minister of Magic actually, but he decided to come here, Dumbledore asked him to. So, I will be sorted before the first years, I imagine."   
  
Draco took all that information in. His father would want him to tell him everything, but Draco had a feeling that he shouldn't and so, he wouldn't. "Hmm, I have always wanted to go to Egypt. So, what house do you want to be in?" he asked, hoping it wouldn't be Gryffindor.  
  
"Well, either Ravenclaw or Slytherin, either would be cool, I really don't want Hufflepuff though," Goyle and Crabbe grunted a laugh at this remark. Draco gave a tight smile.  
  
"We are Slytherin's, in case you haven't noticed." She smiled.   
  
"I knew you were, but I wasn't sure if they were." She said, pointing at Crabbe and Goyle. The Witch pushing the food cart came to the door.   
  
Draco sighed, and closed his eyes. "I warn you, watching them eat is disgusting." He whispered to her. She smiled. "Here they go." Hali looked up, and saw that Crabbe and Goyle both had their hands filled with pumpkin pasties and chocolate frogs. "Want anything?" he asked. She nodded. "Come on then."  
  
Both got up, and went over to the cart, while Crabbe and Goyle sat down, starting to open their food. Hali bought five chocolate frogs, a bag of Bertie Botts Every Flavour beans, and a licorice wand. Draco raised an eyebrow at her, as he paid for a pumpkin pastie and a sugar quill.  
  
"What?" she asked, laughing. "I am hungry." Draco shook his head in amusement. "By the way, who are they?" she asked, pointing at Crabbe and Goyle.  
  
"The biggest one is Vincent Crabbe, and the other is Gregory Goyle." She nodded, and they sat in silence for the remainder of the journey to Hogwarts. When they got to Hogsmeade station, he led her out of the train, and down to one of the horseless carriages. Crabbe and Goyle, who were looking at Draco peculiarly, followed them both, but he didn't notice the weird looks, as he was to busy telling Hali about Hogwarts.  
  
When she saw the castle she gasped. "Wow, this is, gigantic. My school in Egypt was also a castle, but not half this size." She stared at it, until they reached the front entranceway. A strict looking witch stood in the doorway.   
  
"I am Professor McGonagall, you must be Hali Steyn." Hali nodded. "Good, come with me, we will be sorting you before the first years." She waved goodbye to Draco and Co. and followed the professor. "Now, dear, don't be nervous. All you have to do is put the hat on, and then go to the appointed table." Hali nodded. She was beginning to feel a bit nervous.  
  
  
Professor McGonagall brought her into a very large room, where some of the students were filing in, and sitting down. "This is the Great Hall, this is where you will eat all three meals, and where you will come in case of an emergency." She led her up to a long table, where the Professors were seated. She noticed the one sitting by Dumbledore, more than any other. Something about him made her keep looking at him, as she stood by Professor McGonagall.   
  
He looked very tall, six feet maybe, and he had coal black eyes, and shoulder-length black hair. He must have felt her looking at him, for he turned directly to her. Hali blushed a bit, but did not look down; instead, she waved to Dumbledore. The black haired Professor was looking out at the hall when she looked at him again. "Er.. Professor?" she asked Professor McGonagall. "Who is that Professor sitting next to the Headmaster, the one with black hair?"   
  
Hali noticed the professor gave her a dark look before answering. "That," she said, saying it like he was some kind of bug, "is the Slytherin Head of 'This Severus Snape was very intriguing. I must get to know more about him' she thought.   
  
Dumbledore stood up. "Ladies and Gentlemen, Professors and Ghosts, and Peeves," he said, looking at the Poltergeist who was speaking with a creepy looking ghost over at the Slytherin table. "After the feast, I will have some important announcements, so make sure you stay awake," he said, his blue eyes twinkling in the direction of some students at the Ravenclaw table. "Please welcome our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Professor Lupin. He has kindly returned for this position." As he made this announcement, the Professor indicated waved to some students at the Gryffindor table.  
  
"I would also like you all to welcome a new student. She is in the fifth year, and has transferred here from Egypt." Hali felt hundreds of eyes on her, as Dumbledore continued. "Her name is Hali Steyn, and she will be Sorted before we bring in the first years." A tiny professor, whom Hali thought looked like a dwarf, came into the hall, carrying a stool, and a frayed hat. Professor McGonagall walked her towards the stool, once the tiny Professor had set it down.  
  
  
Hali sat on it, and placed the hat onto her head. "Hmmm... You have a brilliant mind, my dear. I see you are also ambitious, and powerful. I think you belong in SLYTHERIN!" the hat said, yelling the last bit to the school. Applause was heard from the Slytherin table, as she pulled the hat off her head. She smiled at Professor McGonagall, and walked over to the Slytherin table.  
  
  
"Hey, welcome to Slytherin, Hali." Draco said to her, with a small smile. She smiled back to him, and sat in the chair next to him. She looked around to the rest of the Slytherin's, and noticed all of them were looking at her curiously. One of them, a girl, whom in Hali's opinion looked like a bulldog, was glaring at her.  
  
"Hey, Draco, that a girlfriend?" she asked, gesturing to the black haired girl. Draco grimaced.  
  
"That is Pansy Parkinson. She thinks she is my girlfriend. Personally, I can't stand her." Hali smiled at him, and then turned around and smiled at the rest of the Slytherin's, some of them smiled back.   
  
Just then, Professor McGonagall re-entered the Great Hall, in front of a line of trembling first years. Professor McGonagall started calling them up, one at a time, to try on the hat. Hali decided that the sorting was rather boring to watch, so she looked around the Great Hall, her eye's stopping on a black haired boy at the Gryffindor table. Draco noticed where she was looking.  
  
"Harry Potter, the boy who lived." He sneered. "Thinks he is king of he world, and gets away with everything."   
  
"Jealous are we?" She asked him, teasingly. He looked horrorstricken that she could even suggest it.  
  
"Hell no! I wouldn't switch places with him is I were to get a millions galleons out of the deal!" He said, angrily.  
  
"Hey, cool it Dragon boy. I was just kidding," she said, soothingly.  
  
He raised an eyebrow at her. "Dragon boy?"  
  
"Yes, Draco means Dragon in Latin, right?" Draco nodded slowly. "So, you're Dragon boy!" she said, laughing. Just then, Dumbledore stood up.  
  
  
"I have only to words to say two you 'dig in!'" he said, as he sat down again. Immediately, the golden plates filled with food. Hali looked around the table, and smiled, as she saw baked chicken.  
  
"Delicious," she said to Draco, as he grinned at her. Draco suddenly started laughing. "What?" she asked him. He pointed over her shoulder. She turned around, and saw Pansy Parkinson staring at her, with a look of what could only be called angry amazement on her face. Hali also noticed, however, that all the other Slytherin's were too. She shrugged, and turned back to her chicken.  
  
  
Half an hour later, the golden plates were wiped clean, and once again, Dumbledore stood up. His face was oddly serious. "This year has started out, unlike any other. Voldemort is back, as you might recall me saying at the end of last year. I fear greatly for your safety, as do the other Professors. We have decided to change a few rules this year.  
  
"One; you may not be out of your common room, unless with a teacher, after 6:00 p.m." their was a lot of groans at this announcement, but Dumbledore ignored them. "Two; Quidditch practices will not be held after dark. Now, for the final and most important rule; you do not go to Hogsmeade, unless you are with a group of at least four people." Once again, groans were heard. Dumbledore's eyes were now lit with fire.  
  
"Last year, we lost a student to Voldemort, and I will not let that happen again. The Minister of Magic flat out refuses to believe he is back. But he is. Their has already been two Death-Eater attacks reported." Gasps were heard from around the great hall. "Heed these rules. Take this seriously." He said, looking over towards the Gryffindor table.   
  
"Now, everyone, go to your common rooms. Sleep well, classes begin tomorrow." And with that, he left the Great Hall. Hali turned to face Draco, who was looking very white.  
  
She tapped him on the elbow. "What's wrong Draco? You look terrified." He looked at her.  
  
"That's because I am," he said, in a serious whisper.  
  
"You don't look to good, come on, let's go to the common room, I think you need some sleep." He didn't protest as she grabbed his hand, and walked with him to the Slytherin Common Room, which was down in the dungeons.   
  
He didn't speak, until they were inside standing by the hidden entrance to the boys Dormitories. "Thanks Hali. I better go to bed, er... you might want to watch out for Pansy, you two are in the same dorm room." She nodded at him, and he went through the door. She sighed, and walked over to a blonde Slytherin second year. "Uh, hi, I was wondering if you could tell me how to get into the fifth year girls dormitories?" she pointed towards statue by the fireplace. "Thank you." She said, as she walked towards the statue of a fierce looking griffin.   
  
She pulled its front talon, and, to her amazement, it slid over, revealing a stone corridor. "That was easy," she muttered to herself, as she walked down the corridor, stopping at the first room, which had 'Serpent Room' written on a gold plaque. She opened the door, and saw that her trunk was placed at the end of one of the four beds.  
  
Sighing, she pulled open the green and silver hangings, and sat herself on the bed. A few minutes later, deciding she should get to sleep, she got back up, and went to her trunk. She pulled out a brush and her nightgown. She walked over to the mirror over her dresser, and started brushing her hair. "You've got lovely hair dear," her mirror said, sleepily.  
  
"Thanks," she replied, before slipping off her robes, and pulling her nightgown over her head. She walked over to her four-poster, and snuggled herself under the sheets. She pulled the hangings shut, just as two Slytherin girls walked in.  
  
"Don't know who she thinks she is." One of them said, sounding annoyed. "Hitting on Draco, she obviously didn't listen when he told her I was his girlfriend, either that, or she put a charm on him" Hali giggled softly. 'Must be Pansy.'  
  
"Yes, no kidding. I can't believe she is a Slytherin. She doesn't act like one." The other replied.  
  
"Millicent, she probably talked the hat into it, I mean, you know that stupid hat wanted to put me in Hufflepuff, but I absolutely refused to be put there, especially since I saw Draco be put into Slytherin." Pansy said. Hali giggled once more. This time, she was overheard. Luckily for her, these Slytherin girls were idiots.  
  
"Did you here something Pansy?" Millicent asked. Pansy must have nodded, for she continued on. "Sounded like giggling, or something."  
  
"Nah, probably just a mouse. I'm going to bed." Hali lay there, trying hard not to laugh out loud again, and soon, after hearing no more, she fell asleep.  
  
  
  
******Meanwhile, in the Snape's office******  
  
  
  
"Damnit Marissa, are you sure the translation is wolfsbane, and not something else, because it doesn't seem that wolfsbane should go in this." Severus said, to the Ancient Runes teacher Marissa Venally.   
  
The tall, blonde haired witch glared before answering. "Of course I am, Severus. I can read hieroglyphics better than anyone at this school." She snapped at him. "It says here, chopped, so start cutting." She ordered  
  
"Fine, but if something goes wrong, don't blame me." He said, annoyed. He looked at the wolfesbane carefully, before cutting it up into little pieces.  
  
"Do you two ever quit bickering?" Marilee Sinistra, the Astronomy teacher asked. Looking up at the two, before going back to the star chart she had been looking at.  
  
Before anyone could answer, Remus Lupin and Albus Dumbledore walked in. "At it again, are they?" Remus asked. Marilee nodded. "No surprise their."  
  
"Shut up, werewolf." Severus said, in a cold voice.  
  
"Severus." Albus said, warningly.  
  
He looked up, and managed a small smile. "Sorry, Albus, I am a bit worked up."  
  
Albus smiled at him, and was about to say something else, but Marilee jumped up, a big smile on her tired face. "Got it!" she said, and all the professors looked at her, expectantly. "On September the fifth, the potion will turn him 11 again." Dumbledore smiled.  
  
"I must inform Hagrid!" he said, happily, he turned around, and walked out of the room, leaving four very frustrated professor's together... The reason for their frustration was this:  
  
Hagrid, having never finished schooling at Hogwarts, wanted nothing more than to fulfill his magical training. Dumbledore had spent the better part of his summer, trying to find a way to turn him back into an eleven year old again, so he could start all over again. He had been searching a newly found tomb in the Valley of the Kings, which a fellow wizard had discovered. A witch found a secret room, and it was filled with ancient magical texts and books. Dumbledore had found one that he thought to contain the Aging Potion, and brought it back to Hogwarts.   
  
Professor Venally, who knew how to read and write hieroglyphics, had translated the section they needed. So, Professors Snape, Venally, Lupin and Sinistra had spent the better part of the summer making the potion, and it was slow go, as hieroglyphics are not very easy to read.  
  
  
But now, the potion was almost done, and the teachers could go back to teaching in peace. Severus sneered at the chopped wolfsbane, and said aloud. "If any of you care to watch, I am putting in the last ingredient." The other three professors came over to the cauldron, and watched as he dropped the final ingredient in.  
  
  
Their was a loud bang, which none of the professor's thought was a problem (as none of them knew too much on potions) but they knew their was one, when they saw Severus' face. "Ah, Severus, is something wrong?" Remus asked him. He nodded, but was didn't answer, as he was staring at the cauldron. The other professors, who were feeling quit frightened, looked to where he was staring.  
  
A purplish colored fog was rising from the potion, and to the professors horror, was spreading rapidly. Within seconds, it had engulfed the whole room. Remus turned to Severus, who was staring at the cauldron. "Severus?" Remus asked, tentatively. When he got no reply, he tried again.   
  
Finally, worried that something was wrong with Severus, he slapped him. This brought him back into reality. But he looked even paler than usual. "Severus? Is something wrong?" Marissa asked him. Severus turned to face her.  
  
"Yes, something is wrong. Potions are not supposed to explode, and shoot fog everywhere. We did something wrong, and apparently whatever this potion is; we are all now infected with it. And lets just hope this isn't poison." The other professor's looked at him, worried. But before any of them could do anything, they fainted.  
  
  
  
******3 hours later, in the Infirmary******  
  
  
Marilee opened her eyes, and looked around. "What the..." she mumbled, before looking around. She couldn't see the person in the bed next to her, and she assumed it was Severus, as he was the only Professor, besides her and Minerva McGonagall, with black hair. She sat up, and she felt as though something was different, but she couldn't put her finger on it.  
  
She tried to think of why she might be in the infirmary, but all that came to her was a jumble of fuzzy pictures, that were slightly purple looking. She gasped, as she remembered the potion that Severus, Marissa, Remus and herself had been working on, and the effect the final ingredient had had on it.  
  
"Poppy!" she called to the nurse. "Poppy, I need to speak with Dumbledore." She called out, hoping the nurse was near. 'Hmm.. I sound a bit odd, must be the flu, or something' she thought to herself. Dumbledore appeared in the doorway.  
  
"Ahh... Marilee, are you feeling well?" he asked, somewhat nervously.  
  
"Yes, Albus, but why do you look so serious. I'm not dying, am I?" she asked him, slightly frightened.   
  
He shook his head, gravely. "No, but, I need you to get up." She looked at him, curiously, but she slid off the bed, and went to stand next to him. "I want you to look in this mirror," he said, conjuring a large silver mirror.   
  
"What is it, do I have boils or someth... oh my god!" she shrieked, staring at the reflection in the mirror. 'Her' reflection, was not what it had been when she woke up that morning. "What the hell happened? I look like I did when I was like 14!" she said, looking at him.  
  
  
"Actually, 15." She opened her mouth to ask him what was going on. But he spoke before her. "Well, I suppose you want to know what's going on." She nodded. "Well, I am not sure yet. All I know, is that something happened to that potion, which made it turn you all into fifteen year old versions of yourself." She stared at him.  
  
"How, what? I don't understand, we followed the instructions perfectly. And besides, how in all the magical world can a potion have an effect, when not applied directly, or taken orally, it isn't logically possible." She went on like this, for a few more minutes.   
  
"Marilee dear, why don't you calm down, I believe Severus ahs just awoken." He said to her, turning to the lump that was Severus. "Why don't you sit down, while I explain this to him." He suggestion. She nodded, and sat back down on the bed.  
  
Severus sat up. "What the?" he said, noticing where he was. He turned, and saw Dumbledore standing by Marilee's bed. "Albus, what's going on, why am I in the Infirmary?" he asked Dumbledore suspiciously.  
  
"Do you recall the potion you were making earlier Severus?" he nodded. "Okay, then do you remember what happened before you fainted?" Severus went white.  
  
  
"Oh, Bloody Hell. I almost forgot. What happened, exactly?" he asked Dumbledore.  
  
"Why don't you look in the mirror and find out." Marilee said from her bed. Dumbledore frowned at her, but nodded to Severus, who got up, and stood in front of the mirror. He didn't say anything, but his jaw dropped.   
  
"What the... I look... like I did at 16." He said, astounded.   
  
"Er, that's because you are, well, 15 actually." Severus looked at him, bewildered. Before he could say anything, however, the door to the infirmary opened.  
  
"Madame Pomfrey I... Professor Snape?" Hali asked, astounded. She was standing in the doorway, staring strait at the Professor. Severus frowned, but Dumbledore smiled.  
  
"Ah, Miss Steyn. How is it, may I ask, that you knew that was Severus Snape, when he looks completely different?" he asked her. Severus looked at her. She blushed.  
  
"Er... I... Erm...Uh..." she stammered, facing downward. Dumbledore turned to her, eyes twinkling.  
  
"I think I know, but I believe we need to chat tomorrow. Please come to my office after your first lesson, I believe you have a free period after that." She nodded, still blushing. "Now, what is it you needed from the Infirmary at two in the morning?"  
  
This question brought Hali out of her embarrassment. "Oh, yes, I was wondering if I could get a Sleeping Draught for Draco, sir. He is having trouble sleeping."   
  
"How is it that you know he is having problems sleeping?" Marilee asked, amused. Hali blushed again.  
  
  
"He told me, Professor. Asked me to get something for him." She said. Severus looked amused.  
  
"Yes, and why is it that he asked you, and not one of his friends? Like Vincent or Gregory." He asked, sneering.  
  
"Quit badgering the girl, Severus..." Dumbledore started, but Hali cut him off.  
  
"Excuse me, professor, but I AM one of his friends." She said, icily. "He wanted me to, because he did not trust any of the others to not poison him." Severus and Marilee both stared at her, surprised.  
  
  
"I'm afraid Madame Pomfrey doesn't keep Sleeping Draughts in the Infirmary. But I know Severus here might have some, stored somewhere, as he is the Potions Master." Dumbledore said, looking pointedly at Severus.  
  
"Yes, I do." He sneered.   
  
"So, you will take her down there and get her one to give Mr. Malfoy, won't you?" Dumbledore said.  
  
"Yes, I guess so. And I am not coming back. When everyone one awakens, and they find out they are all 15 again, please tell me, so we can figure out what to do." He said, and with that, he stomped off, Hali behind him.  
  
  
Marilee turned to Dumbledore. "You don't think that she..." Dumbledore nodded. "But who? How? I mean, he's Severus." She said, as she watched Severus stalk off to the dungeons, the girl behind him.  
  
"There is nothing wrong with Severus, Marilee." He said to her sternly.   
  
"Yes, well, to the small problem concerning our ages... what are we going to do? Classes start tomorrow! How will we explain this?" she asked him, suddenly feeling apprehensive.   
  
  
"We will deal with that, once Remus and Marissa are awake." Dumbledore said, before turning away from her, to face the two sleeping forms of her friends. Marilee sighed, and sank down on the bed, and buried her face into the scratchy blankets.  
  
A/N - Well, how o you like it?? I think it is pretty good. But then again, I am the author, so obviously I like it.. hehe. Anyways, I don't think the books ever say who the Ancient Runes professor is, so I made her up. Please review, and thanks to all my reviewers, though I didn't have many. *hugs to all* Oh, and no, I don't use a beta reader, and I am really sorry if this has any spelling errors, but I am in a hurry to get this out, because I am leaving tomorrow, and I wasn't sure if I would be able to post it. I will fix any errors later.  
  
F.O.E.  



	3. The Sleeping Draught

Draco was curled up on a couch by the fire. He was in the Common Room, waiting for Hali to  
come back with the Sleeping Draught. He heard someone walking down the corridor. Deciding to  
ignore them, he closed his eyes, and willed himself to sleep.  
  
"Draco?" It was Goyle. He sighed, and sat up. "Are you okay?"  
  
"What are you talking about Greg?"  
  
Goyle sighed too. "Well, you have never really been so nice to someone. Especially not an  
outsider, or a girl, for that matter.." Draco noticed he looked uncomfortable. 'Blaise or Pansy  
probably talked him into talking to me' he thought.   
  
Out loud he said. "What is wrong with being nice to her, it isn't like I like her like Pansy thinks I  
like her." Goyle looked at him, clearly not understanding him. "What I mean, Greg, is that she's  
like a sister or something. It is weird, I just feel like I could talk to her, you know?" Goyle shook  
his head.   
  
"Oh, well, I'll have to explain it to you later, why don't you go to bed, I have a Chocolate Frog  
sitting on my trunk, you can have it if you want." Goyle nodded, and went back to their dorm. He  
sighed, and lay back down again, hoping that Hali would hurry, so he could get some sleep.  
  
  
********Snape's Office*********  
  
  
Hali shivered and sat down on a chair near the fireless fireplace. Severus was in his room,  
presumably looking for a Sleeping Draught. After about ten minutes of waiting, she got up, and  
walked over to the door which led to his private quarters.   
  
"Uh, Professor Snape?" she asked, timidly. She heard a muffled "What?" and she opened the  
door, and stuck her head in. He was standing in front of something, the Sleeping Draught in his  
hand. She pushed the door open farther, and walked in. "Are you okay?" she asked him. He  
looked over at her She noticed he had been in front of a mirror..  
  
  
"No, I am not," he sneered. She took a step back, but then went over to stand in front of him.   
  
"I noticed, well, you don't have to be so rude about it." Severus looked at her, mildly surprised.  
"Well, do you want to tell me why?"  
  
"Why should I? I don't even know you." he snapped.  
  
She narrowed her eyes. "Maybe because I am offering to listen to you. Maybe because I am  
trying to be nice to you, the coldest professor in the school. Maybe because I know you want to  
talk about it, and I want to know why you are so upset." she said, in a cold voice.   
  
  
He stared at her, surprised. "Okay, if you want to know. But it is a long story, and I don't want to  
tell you standing up." he said, and he walked over to his bed, and sat down. She came over, and  
sat beside him. He stiffened, but didn't say anything.  
  
"First of all, call me Severus. As I am currently not in professor form." She looked at him, and he  
continued. "Well, my problem right now, is the fact that, as you can see, I am fifteen again."   
  
  
"Uh, if you don't mind me asking, how old are you really?"  
  
He looked at her oddly. "I am thirty-three next month. I am guessing you want to know how I  
turned fifteen?" she nodded. He sighed, and then told her the story of how Hagrid wanted to get  
his schooling, how Dumbledore found the potion, and what happened when the last ingredient  
was added. When he was done, she had a look of half amusement, half pity on her face.  
  
"So you look fifteen. Okay, you are fifteen. But that is okay. It just means you get to live 17 years  
longer. What's wrong with that. You can still teach, I am sure Dumbledore will let you." she  
said, hoping to cheer him up. He just frowned.  
  
  
"Yes, I know that. But how is a fifteen year old supposed to teach Potions to students older than  
me. I will have no respect." he said, sadly.  
  
  
"But, Severus, you said the other teacher's were too?" he nodded "Well, I am sure everyone will  
respect you, except for maybe some of the students who really hate you."   
  
"That would be all of them." he said, his frown replaced by a sneer.  
  
"Yes, well I don't see why. I don't hate you, and I have probably spent more time talking to you  
than the rest of the school combined."  
  
"Yes, well, you aren't around me when I teach." She looked at him, confused, and he continued.  
"I am strict and mean around my students, because if they knew how I felt about things, then they  
could use that against me, and they wouldn't be afraid of me." She looked at him, amused.  
  
"So, you want them to fear you, huh?" he nodded. "Well, I don't." He looked up suddenly, and  
looked her in the eyes.  
  
  
"Yes, well, you haven't been in my class yet. You will grow to hate me, just like everyone else."  
He said, sighing.  
  
"Severus, people would respect you, and they wouldn't hate you if you actually were nice. Being  
strict is okay, McGonagall is, and everyone still likes her, and respects her." she said, and he  
looked down once again. "Oh Severus," she said, sighing. "Oh, crap, look at the time, I promised  
Draco I would hurry." she picked up the Sleeping Draught and walked over to the door.   
  
Severus stood up, and walked over to her. "Yes, you better get him to sleep. He is my favorite  
student, and I can't have him fall asleep in class, now can I?" he said, with his sneer almost gone.  
  
"No, can't have that." she started out the door, but stopped, turned around, and hugged him. He  
looked shocked. "Don't worry, Professor Snape!" she said, cheerily, "It will be okay." she said,  
and walked off, leaving a bewildered Severus standing in the doorway.  
  
  
******Slytherin Common Room*******  
  
Hali rushed into the common room, her brown hair flying behind her. She ran over to the couch  
where she had left Draco, and he was still sitting there, staring into the fire. "What took you so  
long?" he asked, not looking at her.  
  
Hali figured Severus wouldn't want the world to know he was 15 again, so she chose not to tell  
Draco yet. "Oh, sorry, Madame Pomfrey didn't have any in the Infirmary, but Professor Snape  
said he had some in his office, and so I went with him to get it." Draco stared at her.  
  
"And that took you an hour and a half?" he asked, disbelievingly.  
  
"Well, no, but we talked for a bit." she said, smiling.  
  
Draco gaped at her. "You had a civil conversation with Snape?" she nodded. "That has got to be  
a first. He isn't civil to anyone, except some of us Slytherin's."  
  
"You forget Draco, I am a Slytherin."  
  
"Yea, but you are new, and you aren't like us. Besides, no one just talks to him. I mean, he  
usually doesn't say more than a few sentences to me, and I am his favorite student!"  
  
Hali smiled smugly. "Well, looks like I am his new favorite now." he opened his mouth to  
protest, but she put her finger over his lips. "Shush Draco, you need sleep. Here, take this." she  
told him, handing him the Draught. He drank it, and she started to get up.  
  
He grabbed her arm. "Wait here until I fall asleep, would you?" he asked, giving her puppy eyes.  
  
She sighed, and smiled. "Oh, fine, but if I fall asleep in class tomorrow, it will be all your fault."  
He smirked, and then curled up on the couch. He closed his eyes, and she sat herself down on the  
chair across from him. "'Night Draco."  
  
"'Night Hali."  
  
******Meanwhile, in Dumbledore's Office*******  
  
  
"You know, we are not going to be able to replace all four of us!" Marilee said, grumpily. Albus  
was sitting in his office, with three of the four professor's, and all of them were quite grumpy.  
  
"Yes, and where is Severus, he should have been here by now." Remus said, calmly, as usual.  
  
"Typical of him to be late." Marissa said, agitated.  
  
"Now, now, he must have a good reason for being late." Albus replied, his blue eyes twinkling.  
  
"Yes, I do." Severus snapped, as he walked into the office. "Sorry I am late Albus."  
  
"No problem, Severus." he replied.  
  
"Would you care to tell us why you were late?" Marissa asked, curiously.  
  
"No, I don't care to tell you." he said, lazily.  
  
"Well, if that's the way you are going to be..."  
  
"Marissa, Severus, we have business to take care of here." Albus said, and Severus and Marissa  
gave eachother one last glare, before turning their full attention to the Head Master. "Now, we  
have the problem of classes tommorow." he said, gravely. "I want to know which of you does not  
want to teach?"  
  
None of them said anything. "So you will all teach, even though, you don't...eh... look like  
yourselves." they all nodded. "Okay then, problem solved. I will tell the students at breakfast  
tommorow what happened." he looked at them. "Now, let's figure out why it happened." he  
looked at Severus.  
  
"Well, my theory is that something was wrong with the last ingrediant we added. I have never  
seen a potion do what that one did. It shouldn't have been ready for another couple of day's  
anyways." he said, seriously. "I think we need to have someone who knows Egyptian very very  
well re-read the page."  
  
"And where, may I ask, are we going to find someone who does." Marilee asked him.  
  
"Why here at school, of course." Srverus said, mockinly.  
  
The other professors stared at him. "Severus, I am the only one from miles around that knows  
Egyptian at all." Marissa said, haughtilly.   
  
"And their you are wrong, my dear Marissa." he said, with a fake sweet smile.  
  
  
  
"Oh really, Severus." Marilee retorted, coldly. "Then who?"  
  
"Hali." he sid, simply.  
  
"Ah, yes, why didn't I think of it myself?" Albus exclaimed. Remus, Marille and Marissa looked  
at Albus questionlingly. "Hali Steyn, the new transfer student. She is Egyptian."  
  
"Oh," Marissa said, looking miffed.  
  
"Their, problem solved. We will ask her to go over it tommorow, why don't you do that Severus,  
and..."  
  
Marissa cut in. "Why are you having Severus ask her? He couldn't have a conversation with a  
flobberworm without it getting upset."  
  
Albus looked at her, frowning. "Because, she is in his house. Besides," he said, with a knowing  
smile. "I think she finds it easy to talk with him." Severus smirked, while the other teachers  
looked at eachother, confused. All thinking the same thing. 'How could Severus get along with  
anyone, let alone talk with someone about something that doesn't involve a sneering contest.'  
  
"Well, I am going to bed." Severus said, now sneering again. "I have a long day tommorow." and  
with that, he walked off, leaving three bewildered Professor's, and a smiling Head Master.  
  
  
A/N okay, this one is really short. I am so sorry, but i have been busy, and a bit computer-less. I  
decided to take my anger out on my lap-top (and it fell, oops) and so i have been stuck using the  
'family' computer to write. That doesn't give me much time. Well, hope you liked it, please  
review! I wanr you, that this probably has some errors. I usually use Microsoft Word, and i have  
to now use Word Perfect (which is very different from Mic. Word) and so bear with me. 


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